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Widdecombe: David Cameron wrong on candidate selection
21.08.09
A senior Tory launched an attack on elements of David Cameron's attempts to modernise the party.
Former Home Office minister Ann Widdecombe criticised the selection procedure for prospective MPs designed to boost the number of women and ethnic minority candidates.
She also said an "awful lot" of Conservatives were unhappy with Mr Cameron's commitment to tackling climate change.
In a typically forthright interview, she told Total Politics the Conservative Party would end up full of "second-class citizens" unless its candidates were chosen on merit.
It is not the first time Ms Widdecombe has criticised the party leadership over these matters, but the timing threatens Mr Cameron with fresh embarrassment, coming hard on the heels of European MP Daniel Hannan's attack on the NHS and shadow cabinet member Alan Duncan's comments about MPs' expenses.
Asked about the selection process, Ms Widdecombe said: "I think he's wrong. It's been well known for a long time that David and I have not agreed on candidate selection.
"I think he's a fantastic leader, he's winning. But all leaders get some things wrong and I think our approach - which hasn't just been David's - to candidate selection over the last few years has been completely misguided.
"We have gone for category rather than ability. We're looking for more women.
"I'm all for more women, I'm all for more members of the ethnic communities, I'm all for more anythings as long as they get there on merit.
"I believe, as a woman, that every woman in Parliament should be able to look every man from the Prime Minister downwards in the eye and to think she got there on exactly the same basis that he got there.
"And if she can't she's a second class citizen. We're going to have a Conservative Party full of second-class citizens."
Ms Widdecombe, who is standing down as MP for Maidstone and The Weald at the next general election, said the Tory candidate to replace her at the next election, Helen Grant, would have won the nomination on merit, regardless of her gender.
But, she said: "I think we've actually insulted a lot of women who would have got there on their own merit.
"Instead we've insisted on equal numbers on the shortlist, fast tracking on A-lists. I'm very glad it didn't happen in my day."
Ms Widdecombe warned there were many in the party unhappy with Mr Cameron's approach on climate change.
She said: "It so happens that I know that an awful lot of people in our party - and by that I mean a lot - are deeply unhappy with the way that we've signed up apparently quite blindly to the climate change agenda.
"It isn't that they don't want sensible things like recycling, it isn't a silly rebellion.
"But there is a deep unease that we're rushing in virtually to a theology: those who asked questions are 'deniers'.
"The language is theological. We're rushing in to what has become a theology imposed by the equivalent of what has become the medieval church and that nobody's allowed to question it.
"And that even by questioning it, you're doing the world a massive disservice and bringing it under perdition."
A Conservative Party spokesman said: "Under David Cameron, the Conservative Party has broadened the base of Conservative candidates, attracting highly talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds.
"We have also led the way in introducing open, democratic and transparent selection processes, including holding the UK's first open postal primary."
Reader views (6)
You only have to look at thethird rate female ministers in this shabby Government to see exactly what happens when you promote somebody simply because of their sex, colour or ethnicity. There is not one of them that desrves the job they have. The person with th best qualifications, skills or experience should get the job not the candidate that allows them to tick all the right boxes.This pathetic Government has done more in the name of equality yet actually caused more inequality than any in history. We now pander to the smallest monority and have to be oh so PC in everything. The sad thing is I cannot see the new Government changing things too much!
- Duncan Walker, Ex Peckham now Thailand
Merit and merit alone should be the criteria for any job application, but especially for Public Servant positions.
Mps, police, fire brigade etc. etc. should not be effected by politically correct dogma.
To get the best person for a job....choose the best applicant. Makes sense somehow.
- Ronnie, Billericay England
She's a fine one to accuse climate change activists of using 'theological' language when she has devoted her life to forcing conservative Christian moralism on all of us! And it's absolutely absurd of her to say that we're not allowed to question climate change - I see it being rubbished all the time all over the media.
- Charlie, Soho, London
All the time you have candidates for elections chosen by party officials, the so called party list, you can’t have democracy.
Democracy is government by the people for the people. The party list is control by the political class of the people. The political class may argue that anyone can stand against them, which is of course disingenuous. The political class have awarded themselves taxpayer funding for electioneering to enable them to exclude all others.
Until a constituency gets select and elect their own candidates, parliament cannot be said to be representative. At this moment in time the UK is run on the same basis as the baronial lords of old, the Political Class prop one and other to the exclusion of all others and democracy.
- Ian, Reading, England
Well, she's right, and I'm not happy that Cameron seems intent on repeating the mistakes of Labour.
Candidates should be selected for one reason only and that is their ability to do the job. If that means we end up with a cabinet entirely made of women, Christians or Star Trek fans doesn't matter as long as they are absolutely the best people for the job.
- Ian, london
Creep away quietly (I know that's difficult, Ann). Your political game is finally up, and it ended in abject failure. You failed to gain the Speaker's job and it hurts, but think of your lovely fat pension and all the rubbishy/reality (Big Brother?) chat shows just waiting to sign you up for a big fat fee.
- Ted, London
